The CNS (Catholic News Service) reported that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, specifically signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze (prefect) and Archboishop Malcom Ranjith (secretary), has directed that we no longer use songs with the word "Yahweh" as part of the Catholic worship experience.
"As an expression of the infinite greatness and majesty of God, it was held to be unpronounceable and hence was replaced during the reading of sacred Scripture by means of the use of an alternate name: 'Adonai,' which means 'Lord,'" the Vatican letter said. Similarly, Greek translations of the Bible used the word "Kyrios" and Latin scholars translated it to "Dominus"; both also mean Lord."
For the whole article, go here:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804119.htm
Like I've said in CM class, the name of God is thrown around all too lightly these days. "OMG!" and "Jesus H/freaking Christ!" immediately come to mind (what is the "H" all about anyways?). We often don't think anything of it or else if we do, we think it has no bearing on the sincerity of our faith. But like a lie that's told over and over, after a while, simply by osmosis, we start to believe it. In a culture where God sometimes gets reduced to a cosmic Santa Claus or more popularly, Buddy Jesus, it seems to me that we could use a little more reverence in our Spiritual journeys. I was taking an Old Testament class at USC and I had a Jewish professor who whenever she would write "God" on the board, would write it "G_d." When we asked why she did that, she explained that she revered God's name so much that she considered it disrespectful to even erase it.
Though at first glance, this directive might seem a little ridiculous, I'm thankful that the Church is reminding us that the names of God should be given a second thought.
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3 comments:
I think it's totally awesome! And it's so Benedict 16 (he's so liturgical and not only liturgical, but precisely liturgical) I think it's in line with the new English translations of the Mass prayers.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93419478
And the new texts are actually much closer to the Latin (and Italian) versions, and much less colloquial which is fitting for something as awesome as Mass.
Just clarification, Cardinal Arinze is the prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship, and the letter was "approved" (?) by the Congregation of Doctrine of Faith, whose prefect is Cardinal Leveda (from San Francisco!!) :)
thats pretty cool, actually!
I'm trying to think of songs that have Yahweh in them that'll be changed. HMM
And really...if we want to be ecumenical with say the JEWS...we should not be using Yahweh. It is extremely offensive for them to hear the name of God spoken. Here is a song that would be changed..."Yahweh, I know you are..." :) Woohoo...
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